The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-05-13
Au Idyl Of the Sidewalk.
THE STRATEGY on TRAMP Is REWARD
ED BY A RICH HARVEST

The spnng sun was feebly striving
10 cast shadow on brick church |
wall against which rested a blind man
sunk in slumber. Beside him lay an
esrthen bowl with few pennies in it.
His faithless dog had wandered away
in search of bone, and he snored in
contented ignorance of the fact that a
feeble and dilspidated tramp was re-
gariing him with a careful scrutiny.
The tramp was blear-eyed and shaky,
but he had the appearance Of one who
had witnessed much better days. In
fact, he had. Once he was a plumber;
but he had gone TO Central America
and set up in business there, where
pipes never freeze nor boilers burst,
and he had TO walk all the way home.
He was now "button-holer" by trade
one of those men who stop you on the
street with Excuse me, sir, but
then you say "Certainly don't mention
it," and flee for your life He was also
at present a member of the great
American Bar Association.
He approached the blind man with
a step like the deacon's as he goes up
the aisle for the contribution-box, a
stride full of reverence and silence.
He stood before him and read the pla.
card adornipg the person of the blind
one, which told the passer-by in seven
different languages that he had been
blown up several times in steamboat
explosions, run over by locomotives and
lost the use of his nerves riding in bob
tail cars. The wanderer glanced quick
ly up and down the deserted street.
No one 10 sight; it was little to early
for fashionable promenaders, and the
solitary policeman was doing on
bench in the park. Then, softly, and
with a touch as deft and delicate as
. that of professional nurse, he removed
the placard from around the sleeper's
alabaster neck and hung it around his
own.
He adjusted it carefully and took
stride further from its owner and re-
moved the earthern bowl as well. He
then took his position with his back
to the wall and closed his lsnguorous,
dreamy blue eyes until he almost en-
tirely shut out the spring sunshine cast
ing Pickering little shadows under the
warm, rich greens of the park trees
and the deep blue of the morning sky.
He stood and waited, and the sleep
er slept with a smile on his face as he
dreamed of his days work being over
and his evenings pleasure at his club.
The tramp, with eyes closed, reflect
ed and pondered. He thought of the
misery and deprivation of being blind
and being obliged to employ as an
amanuensis some pretty girl whose
beauty he could not appreciate. This
horrible thought caused him 10 open
one eye to see what was passing on in
the busy world about him. The horse
chestnut trees were bursting open in
the genial sunshine like chestnuts be-
fore the fire. One could almost imagine
he heard them pop as the leaves snap
ped apart Two amazed bluebirds,
astonished at city life, fitted like
streaks of cobalt among the branches,
and the sparrows congregated in a
noisy convention on the sparse grass,
debating motions in favor of ejecting
them. A fat man ran across the street
in front of passing butchers cart and
met fatter woman, head on and steer
ing east Just under the horses noses,
and the pair narrowly escaped being
run over. The cart passed on and the
tramp enjoyed the remarks of the fat
people upon persons who cannot see
where where they are going. He
meditated upon what loss the sight
of such an occurrence must be to the
blind. He wondered how blind man
could tell saloon from an art gallery.
This reminded him that he had not had
drink for two hours, but with Spartan
fortitude he stuck to his post of duty.
He murmured gently to himself, '1'm
not drinking now, but if business is
good I'll be fuller'n goat tonight"
Then he smiled sweet baby-like smile,
closed his eye again and let the re-
Election console his and, thirsty spirit.
After awhile people began to pass
him more frequently. Now and then
some charitable soul dropped coin or
two in the earthern bowl with CHEEKY
and satisfactory chink. The sleeper
still wore his cast-iron smile, and the
tramp began to think he was awake
and watching him, but This impress
ion wore off gradually as the hours
passed and he made no sign.
The bowl began to fill rapidly and
the tramp emptied it with stealthy
haste as he perceived more than usual
ly benevolent-looking victim approach
ing. II was an eccentric gentleman,
we'll known to all the professional
mendicants, whose liberality to the
fraternity was celebrated. He believed
that his charities of the Daytime gave
him luck for his evenings gaming and
disbursed accordingly. He dropped a
whole handful of silver into the bowl
giving the tramp almost paralytic
shock and causing him to open his eyes
in a stare of astonishment. After this
business was very good for two hours
and the bowl was filled and refilled, the
dilapidated appearance of the supposed
blind man melted the hearts of those
who were sporting their new and
gaudy Easter garments into tender
feeling of pity. He could scarcely
constrain himself TO remain longer.
First he stood on one leg and then on
the other, like Japanese stork on a
screen, till at last his feelings oyercame
him. He emptied the bowl for the
last time, set 1t down, placed the pla-
card alongside of tie sleeper and call
ed cab which happened to be pass
ing by and sprang into it just as the
blind one awoke from his prolonged
and refreshing slumber. The tramp
was gone, the sun was low in the
heavens, the tender lovemaking of the
blue-bIrds was ended and there was
no money in the blind mans purse. He
opened his eyes, still heavy with sleep,
and gazed with suspicious look at
the departing cab and then at his dis
placed placard. Something told him
that he had been imposed upon. He
pulled from under his old vest an
elegant gold watch, saw the time of day
and with heavy sigh he picked up
his bowl and placard and whistled
sbrilly for his dog. The dog failed TO
T. . ...-